- Author: Robin Sanchez
UC invites comments on proposed revisions to Academic Personnel Manual Sections 240 (APM - 240), Deans, and 246 (APM - 246), Faculty Administrators (100% time).
Summarized below are the proposed key revisions that are being distributed for systemwide review:
- To align with previous revisions to APM - 025, Conflict of Commitment and Outside Activities of Faculty Members, language has been added in Sections 240-20-c and 246-20-c to clarify that both uncompensated and compensated activities are reported and count toward the time limit, but that vacation days are deducted only for compensated activities;
- Language has been added to clarify that Deans and Faculty Administrators who hold concurrent Health Sciences Compensation Plan appointments are subject to APM - 670, Health Sciences Compensation Plan, and APM - 671, Conflict of Commitment and Outside Activities of Health Sciences Compensation Plan Participants; and
- Since faculty administrative salaries should be greater than the underlying faculty appointments, the language in Sections 240-18-a(5) and 246-18-a(4) has been revised to refer to the salary of the underlying faculty appointment.
The proposed revisions to APM - 240, Deans, and APM - 246, Faculty Administrators (100% time) are posted under the “Systemwide Review” tab at: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/academic-personnel-policy/policies-under-review/index.html.
If you have any questions or if you wish to comment, please contact Robin Sanchez at rgsanchez@ucanr.edu, no later than March 15, 2020. Please indicate “APM-240/246” in the subject line.
- Author: Linda Forbes
In 2018, an estimated 2.65 billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to increase to 3.1 billion in 2021. YouTube has 2 billion active monthly users who watch how-to content regularly. Roughly 70% of adults use Facebook, which is consistently a top source of online referrals to the UC ANR website.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and other social platforms provide tools for UC ANR to expand our reach to more people who can use our research-based information to better their lives and businesses.
UC ANR colleagues who use social media for outreach will have an opportunity to discuss their tactics and strategies during three upcoming webinars being offered by Rose Hayden-Smith, UCCE advisor in Ventura County.
1. Nov. 25 Social Café -- Writing for Readability
Join Hayden-Smith on Monday, Nov. 25, at 11:30 a.m. for a 30-minute webinar that will provide essential writing tips designed to help you improve the readability of your work. The Social Cafe is an informal, monthly "drop in" session that explores various social media topics.
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
2. Dec. 11 Facebook Webinar
Communicating Your Story: Facebook
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019
11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
Presenters: Rose Hayden-Smith and Strat Comm
Facebook has become an important part of communicating our stories. Ever wonder if the platform is right for you? In this fast-paced webinar, we'll cover the basics of communicating your story through Facebook, including:
- Why you might want to use Facebook;
- Techniques and best practices to get started…or get better;
- Using images and video to enhance your posts;
- Quick tips for effectively and efficiently using the site.
Participants will also be provided access to a range of resources and tools to support their Facebook efforts, including samples, tip and FAQ sheets, guidelines, and more.
3. Dec. 12 Social Café -- Setting 2020 social media goals
Join Hayden-Smith for a 30-minute Social Cafe webinar on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 11:30 a.m. The Social Cafe is an informal, monthly "drop in" session that explores various social media topics. This Social Cafe will focus on setting 2020 social media goals.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Marijohn Bledsoe, a UCCE community education specialist 2 for the UC Master Food Preserver Program, passed away in Modesto on Oct. 31, 2019. She was 46.
Bledsoe joined UCCE in the Capital Corridor in 2016. She coordinated volunteers in Solano, Yolo and Sacramento counties, leading public classes in food preservation and training the trainers. In 2016, Bledsoe appeared on Good Day Sacramento to promote the program.
Before joining the staff, she managed a UC Master Food Preserver blog, trained other volunteers to use communication tools and created publications as a UC Master Food Preserver volunteer and UC Master Gardener Program volunteer.
Bledsoe was born in Boston, Mass., and raised in San Francisco. At the Urban School of San Francisco, she excelled in the visual arts, including painting and sculpting. She earned a degree in economics and Middle Eastern studies at University of Memphis, then went to the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis where she honed her craft further. She later worked for Internet Solutions.
Bledsoe is survived by her son Langston Bledsoe-Ragland of Memphis, mother Carita Harrison Bledsoe Reaves of Memphis, father Marvin Bledsoe of Manteca, and stepfather James Reaves of Chicago.
Read more about Bledsoe's life at https://www.ehfordmortuary.com/obituary/6737534.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Nelson grew up on a small farm in Texas until the age 7, when his family moved to the San Diego area. At age 11, his father gave him a newborn calf to raise, which sparked his interest in livestock. While he was in high school, he enrolled in the agriculture classes through the FFA program, raising a Reserve Grand Champion steer he showed at the Del Mar Fair in his senior year.
After he graduated from high school in 1952, Nelson joined the Naval Reserves and served 2 years of active duty. He earned a degree in animal husbandry at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1959 and a master's degree in animal nutrition at UC Davis in 1961.
In 1961, Nelson was hired by UC Cooperative Extension as a 4-H advisor in Ventura County. A year later, he accepted the position of UCCE livestock and range management advisor in Fresno County. He spent almost 35 years working with cattle ranchers, sheep, swine producers, horses and occasionally filled in as a dairy cattle advisor.
Nelson served as an advisory board member of numerous professional associations including California Beef Cattle Improvement Association, Fresno-Kings Cattlemen's Association, San Joaquin Valley Woolgrowers Association and Sierra Resource Conservation District. He served as co-chair of the California Livestock Symposium Sheep Section, 1975-1983, and co-director of the Western Livestock Forum, 1984-85. Nelson was named Cattleman of the Year in 1981 by the Fresno-Kings Cattlemen's Association and in 1995 was awarded the Golden Fleece Award by the California Woolgrowers Association. He retired from UC Cooperative Extension in 1995.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years Darlene Nelson, daughter Leanne Nelson, granddaughter Danielle Nelson, daughter-in-law Doreen Nelson, son-in-law Dana Reynolds, brother-in-law Robert Becker and his wife Sandy.
Donations may be made in Nelson's name to Peoples Church Missions, 7172 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93720; Break the Barriers, 8555 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93720 or Hoover High School Special Olympics 5550 N. First St., Fresno, CA 93710
Read more about Nelson's life at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fresnobee/obituary.aspx?n=aaron-o-nelson&pid=194457322.
UC ANR values international collaborations and educational opportunities with foreign institutions, through collaborative research, and scholarly exchanges that are an essential part of the academic community. At the same time, the University of California must be careful to comply with U.S. laws and regulations that govern how international engagements are managed and reported.
The current regulatory landscape includes growing concerns by the U.S. government regarding inappropriate influence by foreign entities over federally funded research. In August 2018, Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), issued a “Foreign Influence Letter to Grantees (PDF)” that reminded the research community of the need to “disclose all forms of other support and financial interests, including support coming from foreign governments or other foreign entities… in accordance with the NIH Grants Policy Statement, [on] all applications and progress reports.” As Dr. Collins' statement makes clear, transparency in this area is essential. UC ANR and external funding agencies need to know about the relationships that UC ANR and individual members of the research community have established with foreign organizations.
The following is a summary of key disclosure obligations that often come into play when working with international partners. The UC Office of the President Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services has compiled information about this topic on a website, including links to UC and sponsor policies and communications from various agencies concerning foreign influence and disclosure requirements. All investigators with sponsored projects should check the sponsor's current disclosure requirements carefully, and if in doubt, contact the Office of Contracts & Grants at ocg@ucanr.edu for disclosure assistance or further guidance.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a Notice on July 10, 2019, reminding research institutions that NIH-funded researchers must “report foreign activities through documentation of other support, foreign components, and financial conflict of interest to prevent scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap” (NOT-OD-19-114). Other Support includes “all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant.” An FAQ can be found here.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) issued a Dear Colleague Letter: Research Protection from Director France Cordova on July 11, 2019 clarifying multiple steps NSF is taking to mitigate risks from “activities threatening our research community, such as certain foreign-government-sponsored talent recruitment programs.” NSF has proposed clarification of the proposal disclosure requirements and reporting requirements for both current and pending support and professional appointments. Those clarifications are included in the draft Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (NSF 20-1). Effective January 2020, NSF proposes to use an electronic format for submission of biographical sketches, including disclosure of all appointments, and disclosure of current and pending support information.
The Department of Energy issued a directive dated June 7, 2019, mandating that “federal and contractor personnel fully disclose and, as necessary, terminate affiliations with foreign government-supported talent recruitment programs” on new DOE contracts and subcontracts. DOE is expected to issue a separate policy directive to implement the requirement on DOE grants and cooperative agreements.
NASA has long-standing restrictions regarding use of NASA funds to enter into agreements “to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company, at the prime recipient level or at any subrecipient level, whether the bilateral involvement is funded or performed under a no-exchange of funds arrangement” (grant restrictions, contract restrictions).
If you are an investigator on a federally funded project, you should take the following actions:
- Review and update Other Support and Current and Pending Support information in proposals
- Review and update Biosketches
- Ensure appropriate disclosure of foreign components for NIH-supported projects
- Report all reimbursed or sponsored travel related to U.S. Public Health Service-supported projects
- Review Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure and update as necessary
- Reach out to UCANR's Export Control Officer for guidance related to export control regulations
- Contact the Office of Contracts & Grants when entering into a material transfer agreement or nondisclosure agreement when sharing or exchanging materials or information
In addition to Sponsored Projects, only designated University personnel are authorized to accept gifts from any source. For this reason, you must disclose to the UC ANR's Development Office all gifts solicited from any domestic or foreign individual or organization.
Because some federal agencies have begun to investigate cases where foreign support has not been properly disclosed, the UCOP Office of Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services (ECAS), has developed systemwide guidance for reporting and follow-up related to this issue. These “Escalation Protocols” are summarized here:
- If you receive communication from a federal agency regarding federally funded research grants, contracts or awards in which the federal agency expresses concern about a foreign entity's involvement in the research; or
- If you have knowledge of any violation of any federal agency policy or federal law regarding federally funded research grants, contracts or awards related to a foreign entity's involvement in the research;
- The university employee who receives the communication or has knowledge noted above must immediately (within 24 hours) notify ANR Controller Jake McGuire, who will initiate the next steps to investigate and respond to this matter.
It is critical that every member of the UC ANR community make every effort to understand the policies that govern their work and be certain that all necessary steps are taken to comply. To support increased awareness and understanding of these issues, the Office of Contracts and Grants is hosting a webinar at 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4, on “Foreign Influence: What is Foreign Influence and how can I comply?” We encourage you to join this webinar on Zoom at https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/502451113 and/or call in at (669) 900-6833, Webinar ID: 502 451 113. The requirements related to foreign influence are complex, so please reach out to Brian Oatman in Risk & Safety Services and/or Kathleen Nolan in the Office of Contracts and Grants if you need further guidance and/or clarification.
Your help and cooperation will support our mission to connect the power of UC research in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition and youth development with local communities to improve the lives of all Californians.
Sincerely,
Wendy Powers
Associate Vice President
Jake McGuire
Controller and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer